What does the 'verse of the sword' (9:5) mean?

Peace, war, jihad and violence Quran · 2 Hadith · 2

Short answer

Verse 9:5 speaks about a specific war with the pagan Arab tribes who had broken their treaty and attacked the Muslims. It is not an order to kill non-Muslims anywhere and at any time, as the next verses make clear.

The fuller answer

The verses before it (9:1-4) mention that treaties with the idolaters who had kept their word must be honoured until their term, and the verse itself is about those who violated the treaty. Verse 9:6, directly after it, orders: if any of them asks for protection, give it to him, and take him to a place of safety. Verse 9:7 and 9:13 give the reason: they broke their oaths and were the first to attack.

Classical scholars such as Ibn Kathir and al-Tabari read it in its setting, and many modern ones stress the same point. Taken alone, any text can be misused, and those who quote it to claim that Islam commands to kill non-Muslims ignore its context, and verses like 2:256, 60:8 and 109:6.

From the Quran

فَإِذَا ٱنسَلَخَ ٱلْأَشْهُرُ ٱلْحُرُمُ فَٱقْتُلُوا۟ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ حَيْثُ وَجَدتُّمُوهُمْ وَخُذُوهُمْ وَٱحْصُرُوهُمْ وَٱقْعُدُوا۟ لَهُمْ كُلَّ مَرْصَدٍۢ ۚ فَإِن تَابُوا۟ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ فَخَلُّوا۟ سَبِيلَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ﴿٥﴾ وَإِنْ أَحَدٌۭ مِّنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ٱسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَٰمَ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُۥ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌۭ لَّا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٦﴾

Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. And if anyone of the idolaters seeketh thy protection (O Muhammad), then protect him so that he may hear the Word of Allah, and afterward convey him to his place of safety. That is because they are a folk who know not.

لَّا يَنْهَىٰكُمُ ٱللَّهُ عَنِ ٱلَّذِينَ لَمْ يُقَٰتِلُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ وَلَمْ يُخْرِجُوكُم مِّن دِيَٰرِكُمْ أَن تَبَرُّوهُمْ وَتُقْسِطُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُقْسِطِينَ ﴿٨﴾

Allah forbiddeth you not those who warred not against you on account of religion and drove you not out from your homes, that ye should show them kindness and deal justly with them. Lo! Allah loveth the just dealers.

From the Sunnah

The authentic hadith behind this answer, from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim and the Sunan with the grade of the scholars of hadith. Open a reference to read it in the hadith library of this site.

1 Sahih al-Bukhari 4655 Authentic, agreed by the scholars of hadith
Arabic text

حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، وَأَخْبَرَنِي حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، أَنَّ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَعَثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي تِلْكَ الْحَجَّةِ فِي مُؤَذِّنِينَ، بَعَثَهُمْ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ يُؤَذِّنُونَ بِمِنًى أَنْ لاَ يَحُجَّ بَعْدَ الْعَامِ مُشْرِكٌ، وَلاَ يَطُوفَ بِالْبَيْتِ عُرْيَانٌ‏.‏ قَالَ حُمَيْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ ثُمَّ أَرْدَفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ أَبِي طَالِبٍ، وَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُؤَذِّنَ بِبَرَاءَةَ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ فَأَذَّنَ مَعَنَا عَلِيٌّ يَوْمَ النَّحْرِ فِي أَهْلِ مِنًى بِبَرَاءَةَ، وَأَنْ لاَ يَحُجَّ بَعْدَ الْعَامِ مُشْرِكٌ، وَلاَ يَطُوفَ بِالْبَيْتِ عُرْيَانٌ‏.‏

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2 Sahih al-Bukhari 3166 Authentic, agreed by the scholars of hadith
Arabic text

حَدَّثَنَا قَيْسُ بْنُ حَفْصٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا مُجَاهِدٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ مَنْ قَتَلَ مُعَاهَدًا لَمْ يَرَحْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ، وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا تُوجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ أَرْبَعِينَ عَامًا ‏"‏‏.‏

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This answer follows the mainstream Sunni understanding and is general learning, not a fatwa. Where Muslims differ, the answer says so. Have a question of your own? Write to us.